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The Drop Zone
The Drop Zone was an arena hazard introduced in the UK and international series of Robot Wars filmed around 2002. Immobilised robots would be placed on a black square with a yellow cross and red border placed roughly in the centre of the arena, close to the Pit, where heavy objects including ovens, washing machines, ocean buoys and assortments of balls would be dropped on them. History The Drop Zone was first used in the second season of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors, with the first robot to have an object dropped onto it being Unibite 2.0 in the Heat C Final. It was used in all UK and international series filmed thereafter; the first usage of the Drop Zone in the UK Series came in Series 6, where it dropped a washing machine on Robochicken in the first round of Heat B. A thunderclap sound effect was used in the Drop Zone's appearances in US Season 2, Nickelodeon Robot Wars and UK Series 7, which played whenever an object was dropped. The last competitor to have an object dropped onto it was Hard in the first round of the Third World Championship, filmed and broadcast at the very end of Series 7. When Robot Wars returned in 2016, the Drop Zone did not feature as part of the new arena, and has effectively been retired as an arena hazard. The objects used for the Drop Zone varied in between series; for Nickelodeon Robot Wars, less serious objects such as scrap metal and sports equipment were used in an effort to maintain the series' appeal to younger audiences. Meanwhile, at one point during the Grand Final of German Robot Wars, previously-defeated competitor Golem was used as an item after it withdrew prior to the Losers Melee for fifth place. The Drop Zone square was seen during Extreme 1, Series 5, Extreme Warriors Season 1, and Dutch Robot Wars Series 1. Also The Drop Zone planned to be introduced during series 5. However, it served no purpose during those series and wouldn't be introduced until Extreme Warriors Season 2 in the US and Series 6 in the UK. The Drop Zone was originally intended to have a button which competitors and House Robots could press to activate it, in a similar way to how the Pit and Disc of Doom were activated. However, this idea was not implemented. Instances Series 6 Extreme 2 Series 7 Dutch Series 2 Extreme Warriors Series 2 Nickelodeon Robot Wars German Robot Wars Appearances in Merchandise DropZonewithBox.jpg|The Drop Zone as a separate accessory for the Minibot Arena set Minibot Arena.jpg|The Minibot Arena set with the Drop Zone attachment Throughout its appearances in the show's original run, the Drop Zone was immortalised in various pieces of ''Robot Wars'' merchandise. An accessory for the Minibots Arena playset based on the hazard was released, consisting of a frustrum-shaped assembly and an assortment of miniature items - including cones, tyres, balls and a washing machine. The Drop Zone assembly could be clipped onto the outer edges of the Arena playset, and the available items attached to the top, allowing the items to be 'dropped' in a similar manner to the real-life hazard (though it dropped in the middle of the arena, rather than over the X as in the show). The Drop Zone accessory was available as a stand-alone set (complete with all of the aforementioned items) and as a bundle with the Arena playset (with the balls only). Melting_Pot.PNG|The Drop Zone square in 'Melting Pot', an arena in Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction (GBA) Tornado_vs_Tractor_ED.jpg|The Drop Zone square (behind Tractor) in Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction (PC/Xbox) The Drop Zone is also seen in all versions of Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction, primarily as an active hazard in arenas based on the real-life Series 5-7 Arena: *Robot Wars Arena/Extreme Destruction (GBA) (arena referred to in-game as the Studio) *Robot Wars Arena/Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction (PC/Xbox) (arena referred to in-game as the Robot Wars TV Studio) In the Game Boy Advance version, it operates exclusively in 'Tournament' mode, and as in real-life drops objects onto defeated robots once they have been placed onto the square by a House Robot. The Drop Zone square also appears in the other fictional arenas available in the game, although the hazard itself remains inactive. In the PC and Xbox versions, items are dropped on mobile robots if they drive over and stay on the cross for a certain length of time. Additionally, multiple items can be dropped in one fight, including a washing machine, a safe, an anvil, a barrel which can explode if attacked, and a grand piano. Trivia *Major Tom, Hard and Junkyard Queen were the only robots to be hit twice with a Drop Zone item. *In Series 7, Zorro managed to escape the Drop Zone by driving away, having been dropped on the cross after being counted out. *The Drop Zone was used in every episode of the Extreme Series 2 New Blood Championship except the Grand Final. *The Drop Zone was used in every episode of Dutch Series 2. *The barrels dropped in Dutch Series 2 were the same used in the Pinball Trial of Series 2. *During Extreme 1 and Extreme Warriors Season 1, the Drop Zone square was next to the Pit, and closer to the Pit release. Also in Series 5, the square was seen vertical in some battles. Category:Robot Wars Arena